India and Russia Are Rewriting Their Defense Partnership – Geopolitical Monitor

India and Russia Are Rewriting Their Defense Partnership  Geopolitical Monitor

India now builds 65% of its own military hardware, and is pressing Moscow for technology transfer rather than finished weapons. The leverage has shifted. Asia’s oldest defense relationship is changing, with India and Russia moving beyond traditional arms sales toward greater technology sharing and joint production. For decades, the partnership has been built around Russian military hardware, but India’s growing defense capabilities are now reshaping the balance between the two countries. During the BRICS summit in New Delhi on September 12-13, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed a wide range of issues. In addition to political, economic, and energy ties, reports indicate that defense cooperation was also on the agenda.

Coincidentally or not, just days after their meeting, Indian Army Chief General Dhiraj Seth traveled to Russia for an official tour — marking the first such journey by a top military leader from New Delhi in eight years. India has traditionally been a major buyer of Russian military equipment, which is why Moscow hopes to sustain this one-sided purchasing relationship. From infantry rifles and armored transports to heavy tanks and missile defense nodes, Russian weapons form the bedrock of India’s ground forces. India’s frontline armored and mechanized units are practically defined by their Russian-designed equipment. That reality, however, is beginning to look very different. While